Violence can occur in the home, at school, on the street, and at work. Violence towards gay and bi men and trans people results from strangers due to homophobia and from intimate partners, often involving substance abuse. The CDC has found that 47% of bi men experience partner violence. For gay men, it was 40% vs. 21% for straight men. People of color bear a higher burden of both stranger and intimate partner violence. For too many GBTQ folks, abuse and violence that happened when we were younger continues to haunt us.

Talking about violence is hard. And sometimes it feels like the people who should be helping don’t. If you think you were the victim of a hate crime, report it. If you think you are in a controlling or violent relationship, talk to friends and get help. If you are the victim of bullying or harassment at work or school, keep talking to someone until it stops. If you still battle memories of abuse or mistreatment when you were a child, find people who can help you process.